Another Company May Leave Chamber of Commerce Over Extreme Position On Climate Change

The holding company owned by multi-billionaire Ronald Perelman is debating whether to leave the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Huffington Post has learned.

Driving the debate is the controversial stance taken by the country's biggest business lobby on climate change.

Executives at MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, which owns significant stakes in a range of companies, most notably cosmetics maker Revlon, have been holding internal discussions on whether to pull out of the chamber over its recent challenge to the Clean Air Act. Should McAndrews & Forbes withdraw from the powerful business lobby, it would be the latest in a string of high-profile defections.

Household names like Apple and Nike have left the organization in protest, as have Pacific Gas & Electric and Exelon -- the nation's largest power company.

The moves were in response to an August court petition filed by the chamber demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency subject itself to an open debate over whether credible scientific evidence exists that global warming endangers public health. For the vast majority of scientists and experts, it's a foregone conclusion.

The fallout has been significant, and swift. MacAndrews & Forbes may soon join the likes of Nike and Apple. A spokeswoman said no decision has been made, but that one is expected soon.

"There have been internal discussions about making our position known, meaning that we would like the chamber to have a different point of view," said spokeswoman Christine M. Taylor. The chamber's position on climate change "is a concern of ours," she said.

"We want to be on the right side. We're supporters of clean energy, environmental protection -- Ronald [Perelman] is involved with the NRDC [Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group]. We want to state our position," Taylor said.

Perelman, whose net worth is estimated at $10 billion, is the 23rd-richest American, according to Forbes magazine.

A call to the chamber was not returned.

Comments

[justdoodling]

07:57 PM on 10/15/2009

I've gone to their website to find a list of other "members" and get links to the states that are accredited by the USCoC. Anyone have a more comprehensive list of members. I would like to boycott them now that I know this is another right wing tool operating under the guise of what's best for the people.

[KriTiKiT]

07:22 PM on 10/15/2009

i'll help him carry the boxes to his car

[Tim303]

04:04 PM on 10/15/2009

For most of human history we've been at 275 parts per million CO2. The safe upper limit is 350. What happens when we go above that?

We are now at 387, rising by about 2ppm a year.

[Stock market]

02:09 PM on 10/15/2009

Everyday the middle class get g0uged through stealth inflation

hat tip to; http://bit.ly/1NkbAn

banks keep reporting blowout earnings while everyone muddles along

[originalhack]

05:59 AM on 10/15/2009

Call your town's chamber and ask if they are a member of the US Chamber. Most are not. The ones that are need to be educated that the US Chamber advocates for the multinational corporations that run rough-shod over the local businesses that are members of the local chambers.

I'm still not sure about the membership of the local chamber in the state chamber, though.

[Caliwoman]

11:34 PM on 10/14/2009

I left my local Chamber in 2006 due to the lobbying issues being in la la land. We need an alternative business networking organization at the local level for business owners who care about their communities.

[Im2Left4U]

06:57 PM on 10/14/2009

Thank you. It's really not difficult to understand. I believe in profit motive but not obscene profits at the expense of everyone else. Also, everyone should have government provided health care and a living wage. I don't mind paying my fair share of taxes - as long as they go to the common good and not to endless war and greed.

[hypnotoad72]

12:23 PM on 10/15/2009

Profit motive only works so far.

Religious motive (aka 'social motive') is as dead as the dinosaur... (anybody who's read the Bible certainly knows those who preach it the most sure as bleep don't live by it...)

[hypnotoad72]

06:19 PM on 10/14/2009

What does the chamber of commerce do, again? How do they affect 'climate change'? Who does this chamber protect? Is it really about 'climate change'?

[Caliwoman]

11:39 PM on 10/14/2009

They throw an inflated membership list around to try and protect neanderthals, like big box retailers on workers' rights or oil companies on climate change. People join to network but then their credibility gets used.

[RomeoMD25]

04:15 PM on 10/14/2009

BBC: What happened to global warming?
Montana cold breaks records…

Records in Idaho threaten potato crops…
Austria: Earliest snowfall in history…

Man has microphone cut off after asking about ‘errors’ in Gore film…
Heavy snow expected in PA…

Chicago record breaking cold continues…
Montana records fall…

Global temps peaked in 1998…dahhhh…

[Bogstomper]

09:32 PM on 10/14/2009

"BBC: What happened to global warming?"

You need to read more than just the headline. That article doesn't mean what you think it means. (And their bit about an 11-year cooling trend is totally wrong.)

You can't form a valid opinion just by reading headlines. You should know that already.

[Caliwoman]

11:40 PM on 10/14/2009

and the world is flat becasue it looks that way from my one data point...

[FlyOnTheWall45]

04:09 PM on 10/14/2009

Good for Ron Perelman for taking the lead on an issue that effects every single one of us. In a Chamber with many plunderers, he stands up for what he believes.

[rosal]

01:32 PM on 10/14/2009

What decent corporation would like to be associated to the Chamber of Corruption? Their "Freee Enterprising" branch of capitalism doesn't include workers, tax payers, or small businesses. They work for the biggest profiteers who do not want any regulations, and are always ready to speculate with the peoples' money, hoping the tax payers will save them from their questionable business practices.

[lovbug]

01:04 PM on 10/14/2009

wah, wah, wah, another whining corporation.

[klinker1]

01:01 PM on 10/14/2009

This exposes the Chambers from the National organization down to the the local level for what they really represent. Only the biggest businesses. The small businesses, the local businesses, have mostly been left behind. They take your money and they take your free time and give nothing in return. At least nothing substantive that will promote your business or add to a business's bottom line.

[ibsteve2u]

01:09 PM on 10/14/2009

"Mostly been left behind"?

I would say in toto. America's small businesses depend upon local customers, and in the vast majority of cases, that is America's middle class and working poor.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's every policy decision has reflected the interests of BIG business, with the end result that the customers of America's small businesses are increasingly incapable of affording the services and products of America's small businesses.

Yet the USCC shrieks each and every time that whatever they oppose/propose is "in the interests of America's small businesses" - which, nearly 100% of the time, is a flat-out lie.

[Im2Left4U]

12:44 PM on 10/14/2009

I was Executive Director of a local chamber of commerce several years ago and the US Chamber of Commerce was all Bush Kool-aid drinkers. I would not include their propaganda crap in our monthly newsletter and would get periodic phone calls from them to complain. I had a few phone debates but it was useless talking to them. Obviously, there has been no change in personnel. The staff was brutally stupid and knew only the talking points faxed to them each morning. Being a pro-union socialist-capitalist, I did not last long and moved on to something more suitable fro me.

[freshmind]

01:00 PM on 10/14/2009

Socialist-capitalist don't work to well together, you must have some heated arguments with yourself.

[wm1066]

04:23 PM on 10/14/2009

I actually understand how socialism and capitalism can work together. Like Michael Moore said, we need to think of a new way for the 21 Century.

[Viper]

02:18 AM on 10/15/2009

Yep thats why we are the ones borrowing money from China and they make everything we buy...

Regards

[kkrimmer]

12:24 PM on 10/14/2009

Rename it to Chamber of Destruction

[freshmind]

01:00 PM on 10/14/2009

Debate too much for you? Against hearing another argument?

[CheesePuff]

02:55 PM on 10/14/2009

I have yet to see an argument from you (freshmind) in this debate. Just a bunch of one line "zingers". A "debate" is when people present their side to an argument and debate as to which person is correct. Usually there is quantitative evidence given to support someone's argument and not "you're wrong, I win".